[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12572-12579]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-370. A resolution adopted by the North Carolina State 
     Council of the Junior Order United American Mechanics 
     expressing its support of the men and women of the Armed 
     Forces; to the Committee on Armed Services.
       POM-371. A resolution adopted by the Council of the Village 
     of Elida, Ohio, expressing its opposition to H.R. 3359; to 
     the Committee on Finance.
       POM-372. A resolution adopted by the Commission of the City 
     of Miami, Florida, urging Congress to grant temporary 
     protective status to Haitians in the United States; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-373. A resolution adopted by the North Carolina State 
     Council of the Junior Order United American Mechanics 
     expressing its support for the establishment of the English 
     language as the official language of the United States; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-374. A resolution adopted by the North Carolina State 
     Council of the Junior Order United American Mechanics urging 
     Congress to resolve the immigration issues; to the Committee 
     on the Judiciary.
       POM-375. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     enact legislation limiting increases in health insurance 
     premiums and other costs; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 123

       Whereas, H.R. 579, the Military Retirees Health Protection 
     Act, and S. 604, the Military Health Care Protection Act, 
     have been pending in the United States Congress since 
     February of 2007; and
       Whereas, S. 604 would bar the TRICARE Prime enrollment fee 
     and TRICARE pharmacy copayments from being increased in any 
     year by a percentage that exceeds the percentage increase in 
     military retiree pay; and
       Whereas, S. 604 also would bar any enrollment fee or any 
     increase in the TRICARE Standard or any increase in the 
     TRICARE Standard inpatient copayments and would bar TRICARE 
     Reserve Select premiums from being increased by a percentage 
     that exceeds the most recent basic pay increases; and
       Whereas, H.R. 579 contains similar provisions to limit 
     certain increases in health insurance premiums, deductibles, 
     copayments, and other charges of military retirees for their 
     military health benefits; and
       Whereas, career members in the uniformed services and their 
     families endure unique and extraordinary demands and make 
     extraordinary sacrifices over the course of twenty- to 
     thirty-year careers in protecting freedom for all Americans; 
     and
       Whereas, the demands and sacrifices are such that few 
     Americans are willing to bear or accept them for a multiyear 
     career; and
       Whereas, a primary benefit of enduring the extraordinary 
     sacrifices inherent in a military career is a range of 
     extraordinary retirement benefits that a grateful Nation 
     provides for those who choose to subordinate much of their 
     personal life for the national interest for so many years; 
     and
       Whereas, many private sector firms are curtailing health 
     benefits and shifting significantly higher costs to their 
     employees, and one effect of such curtailment is that retired 
     members of the uniformed services are turning to health care 
     services from the Department of Defense and its TRICARE 
     program for the health care benefits in retirement that they 
     earned by their service in uniform; and
       Whereas, while the Department of Defense has made some 
     efforts to contain increases in the cost of the TRICARE 
     program, a large part of these efforts has been devoted to 
     shifting a larger share of the costs of benefits under that 
     program to retired members of the uniformed services; and
       Whereas, the cumulative increase in enrollment fees, 
     deductibles, and copayments being proposed by the Department 
     of Defense for health care benefits under the TRICARE program 
     far exceeds the thirty-three percent increase in military 
     retired pay since such fees, deductibles, and copayments were 
     first required on the part of retired members of the 
     uniformed services eleven years ago; and
       Whereas, proposals of the Department of Defense for 
     increases in the enrollment fees, deductibles, and copayments 
     of retired members of the uniformed services who are 
     participants of the TRICARE program fail to recognize 
     adequately that such members paid the equivalent of enormous 
     in-kind premiums for health care in retirement through their 
     extended sacrifices by service in uniform; and
       Whereas, some of the nation's health care providers refuse 
     to accept participants in the TRICARE program as patients 
     because that program pays them significantly less than 
     commercial insurance programs and imposes unique 
     administrative requirements for health care services; and
       Whereas, the Department of Defense and the Nation have a 
     committed obligation to provide health care benefits to 
     retired members of the uniformed services that exceeds the 
     obligation of corporate employers to provide health care 
     benefits to their employees; and
       Whereas, the Department of Defense has many additional 
     options to constrain the growth of health care spending in 
     ways that do not disadvantage retired members of the 
     uniformed services who participate in the TRICARE program and 
     should pursue any and all such options rather than seek large 
     increases for enrollment fees, deductibles, and copayments 
     for such retirees and their families or survivors who do 
     participate in the program; and
       Whereas, any percentage increase in fees, deductibles, and 
     copayments that may be considered under the TRICARE program 
     for retired members of the uniformed services and their 
     families or survivors should not in any case exceed the 
     percentage increase in military retired pay. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to enact legislation 
     limiting certain increases in health insurance premiums, 
     deductibles, copayments, and other charges of military 
     retirees for their military health benefits being proposed by 
     the Department of Defense. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-376. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Rhode Island expressing its 
     opposition to federal proposals to authorize increases in the 
     size or weight of commercial motor vehicles; to the Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                         House Resolution 8296

       Whereas, The State of Rhode Island is committed to 
     protecting the safety of motorists on its highways and to 
     protecting taxpayers' investment in our highway 
     infrastructure; and
       Whereas, The General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island 
     and Providence Plantations resolved jointly to urge the 
     Congress of the United States to oppose proposals to increase 
     truck size or weight limitations in 1997 (Assembly Joint 
     Resolution No. 8) and 2003 (Senate Joint Resolution No. 7) 
     because of the threat that longer combination vehicles and 
     other larger trucks present to highway safety; and
       Whereas, There are proposals to include increases in the 
     size or weight of commercial motor vehicles, including 
     triple-trailer trucks, in legislation reauthorizing federal 
     transportation funding, which will be considered in the 
     United States Congress in 2009; and
       Whereas, Recent events have focused public concern on the 
     quality of our highway infrastructure, especially bridges; 
     and
       Whereas, Federal and state studies have found that 
     increasing the size and weight of commercial motor vehicles 
     may accelerate the deterioration of bridges and highway 
     infrastructure; and
       Whereas, The extent of damage to bridges that would be 
     caused by operations of bigger and heavier commercial 
     vehicles is unknown; and
       Whereas, The 2007 National Bridge Inventory maintained by 
     the Federal Highway Administration classified 53% of bridges 
     in Rhode Island as having been rated structurally deficient 
     or functionally obsolete; now, therefore be it
       Resolved, That this House of Representatives of the State 
     of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby reaffirms 
     its opposition to proposals, at all levels of government, 
     that would authorize increases in the size and weight of 
     commercial motor vehicles because of the impact that these 
     increases would have on highway infrastructure, especially 
     bridges; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is 
     authorized and directed to

[[Page 12573]]

     transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the 
     President and Vice President of the United States, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     Majority Leader of the United States Senate and the Rhode 
     Island Delegation to the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-377. A concurrent resolution adopted by the General 
     Assembly of the State of Ohio urging Congress to renew the 
     exemption for the sternwheel river steamboat Delta Queen from 
     the 1966 Safety at Sea Act; to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 36

       Whereas, The sternwheel river steamboat Delta Queen, built 
     in 1926, has been transporting passengers on the Western 
     Rivers system since 1947. It is one of only two sternwheel 
     river passenger boats operating under steam and is the sole 
     remaining Western Rivers system overnight passenger boat; and
       Whereas, The Delta Queen serves as a reminder of a time 
     when steamboats transported people and supplies on the rivers 
     of the United States. Life on the steamboat today is much as 
     it was in the 1920s, a relaxing 8- to 10-mile-an-hour pace 
     with no modern electronic distractions such as television and 
     the Internet; and
       Whereas, The Delta Queen carries 174 overnight passengers 
     and is currently exempt from the 1966 Safety at Sea Act, 
     which prohibits wooden boats from carrying more than 50 
     overnight passengers. However, this exemption is set to 
     expire at the end of 2008, and influential members of the 
     Congress of the United States have stated that they are 
     planning on not renewing the exemption, an action that would 
     eliminate this important reminder of Ohio's and America's 
     history; now therefore be it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the 127th General 
     Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the Congress of the 
     United States to renew the exemption for the sternwheel river 
     steamboat Delta Queen from the 1966 Safety at Sea Act so that 
     it can continue to carry overnight passengers on the Western 
     Rivers system; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
     send duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the 
     Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of 
     Representatives, to the President Pro Tempore and the 
     Secretary of the United States Senate, to the members of the 
     Ohio Congressional delegation, and to the news media of Ohio.
                                  ____

       POM-378. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of Louisiana urging Congress to establish grant 
     programs to mitigate the damages caused by the opening of the 
     Bonnet Carre Spillway; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 51

       Whereas, on April 11, 2008, the United States Army Corps of 
     Engineers opened the Bonnet Carre Spillway for the first time 
     in eleven years for the purpose of preventing flooding in the 
     New Orleans area; and
       Whereas, the seafood industry in St. Tammany, St. Bernard, 
     Orleans, and Plaquemines parishes have been negatively 
     impacted by the opening of the Bonnet Cane Spillway. 
     Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to establish a grant 
     program to assist the seafood industry in St. Tammany, St. 
     Bernard, Orleans, and Plaquemines parishes. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives and to each member 
     of the Louisiana con ssional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-379. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of Louisiana urging Congress to oppose the 
     authorization of offshore aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico; 
     to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 36

       Whereas, there is currently pending before Congress the 
     National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007, which authorizes 
     the secretary of the United States Department of Commerce to 
     establish and implement a regulatory system for offshore 
     aquaculture in the Exclusive Economic Zone; and
       Whereas, despite the absence of statutory authority in the 
     Magnusson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act to provide a 
     framework for development of deepwater fish farms, the Gulf 
     of Mexico Fisheries Management Council has nevertheless 
     proposed implementation of a regulatory system for marine 
     aquaculture in federal waters off the coast of Louisiana; and
       Whereas, as drafted, the proposed plans envision the use of 
     large containment cages located between two and three hundred 
     miles off the coast of Louisiana; and
       Whereas, the cages are proposed to be filled with numerous 
     fish and to be located on or near oil and gas rigs in the 
     Gulf of Mexico, without any restrictions as to the location 
     of such cages; and
       Whereas, past experiences with aquaculture operations of 
     this nature have resulted in increased pollution of the 
     surrounding waters due to concentrated amounts of fish food, 
     fish waste, and chemicals and antibiotics used to treat the 
     caged fish, and have resulted in damaged cages floating free, 
     interfering with maritime commerce and endangering others 
     attempting to use the surrounding waters; and
       Wheres, additional concerns about the development of 
     deepwater fish farming include potential genetic damage to 
     both the farmed fish in the cages and the wild fish in the 
     surrounding waters, the spread of disease among the farmed 
     fish and the wild fish, and the stress that the farms would 
     put on forage fish, such as menhaden; and
       Wheres, Louisiana is known for its seafood and for its 
     devotion to fishing the Gulf of Mexico for a myriad of fish, 
     all of which may be impacted by the establishment of 
     deepwater aquaculture facilities in the very areas where our 
     commercial and recreational fishermen pursue their passion 
     for fishing; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is also known for its oil and gas 
     industry, much of which is now located offshore in the very 
     areas where these fish farms are likely to be located and 
     where the large containment cages may break their moorings 
     during hurricanes, adding to the damage to oil and gas rigs 
     during times of inclement weather; and
       Whereas, there has been little in-depth research conducted 
     into the unintended consequences of deepwater fish farming, 
     particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, and it appears that the 
     Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council is acting too 
     quickly to enact rules allowing the establishment of 
     deepwater fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico and, in fact, is 
     acting in advance of congressional direction to begin 
     development and implementation of such a program; and
       Whereas, Louisiana has had little input into the 
     development of the regulatory system that would govern 
     deepwater fish farming, an industry that has every potential 
     for dramatic impact on Louisiana's commercial and 
     recreational fishing industries, the largest such industry in 
     the continental United States; and
       Whereas, the recreational and commercial fishing industries 
     in this state combine for an annual economic impact well in 
     excess of a billion dollars, and the oil and gas industries 
     have an even greater economic impact in this state, with 
     accompanying tax revenues that fund many of the services 
     provided by the state; and
       Whereas, the development of deepwater fish farms off the 
     coast of Louisiana could have a tremendous negative impact on 
     both these industries which could, in turn, have a tremendous 
     negative impact on the tax revenues received by the state 
     from the industries and related transactions, thereby causing 
     a reduction in the funds available for state expenditure. 
     Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to oppose the 
     authorization of offshore aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico. 
     Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to 
     each member of the Louisiana delegation, to the National 
     Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanographic and 
     Atmospheric Administration, and to the Gulf of Mexico 
     Fisheries Management Council.
                                  ____

       POM-380. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Hawaii expressing its support 
     for assistance for persons present in the United States under 
     the Compacts of Free Association; to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources.

                            House Resolution

       Whereas, in 1986, the United States (U.S.) entered into a 
     Compact of Free Association (COFA or Compact) with the 
     Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the 
     Marshall Islands and, in 1994, the U.S. entered into a 
     similar Compact with the Republic of Palau that created a 
     unique relationship between the U.S. and the Freely 
     Associated States; and
       Whereas, the terms of the Compacts set out mutually 
     beneficial rights and obligations in several areas, including 
     economic development and defense, and created the right of 
     citizens from the Freely Associated States to freely travel 
     to, and work and reside in, the U.S. without durational 
     limit; and
       Whereas, a significant number of COFA citizens travel to 
     and reside in the State of Hawaii; and
       Whereas, many COFA migrants arrive in the state with 
     serious medical needs, and many need financial assistance or 
     housing assistance because of the relative lack of resources 
     they have available; and
       Whereas, when the Compacts were initially executed, 
     Congress recognized there could be a significant effect on 
     the resources of the places to which the COFA citizens 
     migrated and explicitly stated that, ``it is not the intent 
     of Congress to cause any adverse consequences for an affected 
     jurisdiction'' P.L. 108-188, section 104(e)(1) (emphasis 
     added); and
       Whereas, in 1997, Congress passed the Personal 
     Responsibility Work Opportunities

[[Page 12574]]

     Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which provided that most non-
     citizens in the U.S., with limited exceptions, became 
     ineligible for federally-funded welfare programs including 
     Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, Food 
     Stamps, and Supplemental Security Income; and
       Whereas, COFA migrants were among the non-citizen groups 
     excluded by PRWORA, and not included as one of the 
     exceptions, despite the fact that they are legal residents in 
     the U.S. and are more like citizens than immigrants or other 
     legally resident non-citizens in terms of their ability to 
     reside, work, and attend school in the U.S.; and
       Whereas, despite losing access to federal funds for 
     services to COFA migrants because of PRWORA, the State of 
     Hawaii has continued to make the services available through 
     equivalent state-funded services to address the social, 
     educational, public safety, and medical needs of COFA 
     citizens who legally reside in the state, just as it provides 
     them to other legal residents; and
       Whereas, the State has consistently reported increasing 
     costs each year for the services provided to COFA migrants, 
     the majority of which are not reimbursed by the federal 
     government; and
       Whereas, in 2006, the cost reported by the state agencies 
     to provide services for COFA migrants was over $91,000,000, 
     while the federal assistance to the State as Compact Impact 
     Assistance was approximately $10,600,000; and
       Whereas, the federal government created the relationship 
     with the Freely Associated States that allows their citizens 
     to freely reside in the U.S. with few limitations; and
       Whereas, extending eligibility for federal assistance to 
     the COFA migrants would better support the purposes 
     underlying the COFA; and
       Whereas, providing federal assistance for COFA migrants 
     additionally would alleviate much of the burden on the 
     State's budget while still maintaining the same level of 
     services for the COFA migrants; and
       Whereas, the Governor has repeatedly suggested in reports 
     and letters to the U.S. Department of the Interior that COFA 
     migrants should be made eligible for federal financial 
     assistance, and Hawaii's Congressional Delegation has 
     consistently supported the idea of extending federal 
     assistance to COFA migrants; and
       Whereas, in 2007, Senator Akaka and Senator Inouye 
     introduced a bill in the United States Senate, S. 1676, which 
     would extend eligibility for certain federal benefits to COFA 
     migrants legally residing in the U.S.; and
       Whereas, in 2007, Representative Abercrombie and 
     Representative Hirono introduced a bill in the United States 
     House of Representatives, H.R. 4000, which would extend 
     eligibility for certain federal benefits to COFA migrants 
     legally residing in the U.S.; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2008, that this body supports the bills currently in 
     Congress, S. 1676 and H.R. 4000, and urges that the bills be 
     heard and moved out of Committee, to receive the 
     consideration of the full Senate and the full House of 
     Representatives, and further to encourage Congress and the 
     President to enact the bills into law, which would benefit 
     COFA migrants in the U.S. regardless of the state or 
     territory in which they reside and support the stated intent 
     of Congress that the relationship created by the Compacts not 
     cause adverse consequences to the states; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Department of Labor and Industrial 
     Relations Office of Language Access is requested to provide 
     its services to citizens of COFA nations, and that other 
     programs that may be available to individuals whose first 
     language is not English be provided to citizens of COFA 
     nations; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, all 
     members of Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of 
     Agriculture, the Governor, the President of the Republic of 
     Palau, the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, 
     and the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
                                  ____

       POM-381. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Utah urging Congress to pass the Rights-of-
     way Recognition Act; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 5

       Whereas, in 1866, the United States Congress passed an 
     open-ended grant of ``the right-of-way for the construction 
     of highways over public lands, not reserved for public 
     uses'';
       Whereas, the statute, commonly referred to as R.S. 2477, 
     remained in effect for 110 years, and most of the 
     transportation routes in the West were established under its 
     authority;
       Whereas, although Congress repealed R.S. 2477 in 1976 by 
     passing the Federal Land Policy Management Act, it purposely 
     protected all rights-of-way established prior to October 21, 
     1976;
       Whereas, unlike any other federal land statute the 
     establishment of R.S. 2477 rights-of-way required no entry, 
     application, license patent, or deed on the part of the 
     federal government, and no formal act of public acceptance on 
     the part of the states or localities in whom the rights were 
     vested;
       Whereas, because R.S. 2477 rights-of-way were not required 
     by the grant to be formally recorded, they have become one of 
     the more contentious land use issues in the West, resulting 
     in on-the-ground conflicts and expensive litigation;
       Whereas, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance v. Bureau of 
     Land Management (SUWA v. BLM), a 10th Circuit Court of 
     Appeals' order filed January 6, 2006, provides a thoughtful 
     and reasonable way to resolve road disputes between the 
     federal government and counties;
       Whereas, the United States Department of the Interior has 
     developed and issued guidelines implementing the well-
     reasoned principles in SUWA v. BLM, formerly known as the 
     ``Norton Implementation'';
       Whereas, certain members of Congress and certain 
     nongovernmental organizations are attempting to defeat the 
     principles of SUWA v. BLM as adopted by the Department of the 
     Interior, and are trying to redefine R.S. 2477 rights-of-way 
     out of existence in order to create additional wilderness 
     across the West, which by definition is roadless;
       Whereas, Representative Steve Pearce of New Mexico has 
     introduced in Congress the ``R.S. 2477 Rights-of-Way 
     Recognition Act,'' a bill that codifies the beneficial 
     principles established in SUWA v. BLM; and
       Whereas, rights-of-way, including roads established under 
     R.S. 2477, are essential transportation routes which are 
     critical to the economic stability and vitality of the rural 
     West: Now, Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the state of Utah, the 
     Governor concurring therein, urge the United States Congress 
     to support the fair and equitable resolution of R.S. 2477 
     rights-of-way by enacting the R.S. 2477, Rights-of-Way 
     Recognition Act. Be it Further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
     the United States House of Representatives, and to the 
     members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-382. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Utah urging Congress to designate a new 
     recipient of royalties from Navajo reservation lands in Utah; 
     to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 4

       Whereas, in 1933 Congress added federal lands located in 
     San Juan County to the Navajo reservation and directed Utah 
     to receive 37.5% of oil and gas royalties from those lands 
     for ``the tuition of Indian children in white schools and/or 
     the building or maintenance of roads . . . or for the benefit 
     of Indians residing therein'';
       Whereas, in 1968 Congress amended the purposes for which 
     the 37.5% of oil and gas royalties are to be expended to be 
     ``for the health, education, and general welfare of the 
     Navajo Indians residing in San Juan County, Utah'';
       Whereas, Utah is unique amongst the states in having such 
     an obligation and the San Juan Navajos are unique in having 
     this relationship to the state;
       Whereas, by treaty in 1868 the Navajo Nation was recognized 
     as a sovereign and it is now the largest American Indian 
     tribe in the country with significant expertise in its 
     governance of its people;
       Whereas, the Navajo Nation receives and expends the other 
     62.5% of the oil and gas royalties from the San Juan County 
     portion of the Navajo reservation;
       Whereas, the San Juan Navajos are valued citizens of the 
     state of Utah whose interests include the need for critical 
     infrastructure such as water and electricity;
       Whereas, the state first received monies from the 37.5% of 
     the oil and gas royalties in 1959 and litigation related to 
     those royalties began almost immediately, with a first major 
     decision occurring in 1961;
       Whereas, the litigious environment surrounding the state's 
     administration of the oil and gas royalties harms the 
     relationship between the state and the San Juan Navajos and 
     complicates all parties' ability to meet the needs of the San 
     Juan Navajos;
       Whereas, Navajos have expressed a desire to have greater 
     input or control over the administration of the 37.5% of oil 
     and gas royalties;
       Whereas, there exists several Navajo related entities that 
     are equipped to find a more effective way to administer these 
     royalties where the state is not cast in the role as trustee;
       Whereas, removal of the state as a go-between provides an 
     opportunity for Navajos to determine the best use of these 
     royalties;
       Whereas, Congress should designate a new recipient of the 
     37.5% of oil and gas royalties; and
       Whereas, the state will continue to assist its citizens in 
     the San Juan County through more traditional state tools such 
     as the Navajo Revitalization Fund: Now, Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the state of Utah, the 
     Governor concurring therein,

[[Page 12575]]

     encourages the United States Congress to expeditiously 
     designate a new recipient of the 37.5% of oil and gas 
     royalties as quickly as possible. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and Governor support 
     congressional action that results in the 37.5% of oil and gas 
     royalties continuing to flow to the benefit of San Juan 
     Navajos. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and Governor request 
     Congress to work with interested parties to ensure the best 
     solution possible regarding the distribution of the 37.5% of 
     oil and gas royalties. Be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this concurrent resolution be sent 
     to:
       (1) the members of Utah's congressional delegation;
       (2) the Navajo Utah Commission;
       (3) the President of the Navajo Nation;
       (4) the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council;
       (5) the board of trustees of the Navajo Trust Fund; and
       (6) the Dineh Committee of the Navajo Trust Fund.
                                  ____

       POM-383. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Hawaii urging Congress to 
     agree to an economy-wide reduction in its greenhouse gas 
     emissions; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                        House Resolution No. 53

       Whereas, the White House is convening a Major Economies 
     Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change with seventeen 
     invited countries at the Center for Cultural and Technical 
     Interchange Between East and West, Inc. (East-West Center) on 
     the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa on January 30 
     and 31, 2008, to discuss potential international agreements 
     on global climate change; and
       Whereas, for more than half a century, researchers have 
     used atmospheric samples taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory 
     on the island of Hawaii to track a steady annual increase in 
     the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and 
     have concluded that concentrations are now higher than they 
     have been in the past eight hundred thousand years; and
       Whereas, scientific consensus links the anthropogenic 
     increase in greenhouse gases to global climate change; and
       Whereas, the Fourth Assessment Report of the 
     Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that 
     global emissions of greenhouse gases need to peak in the next 
     ten to fifteen years and be reduced to levels well below half 
     those in 2000 by the middle of this century in order to 
     stabilize greenhouse gases concentrations in the atmosphere 
     at the lowest levels assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel 
     on Climate Change to date in its scenarios; and
       Whereas, achieving the lowest levels assessed by the 
     Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to date and its 
     corresponding potential damage limitation would require 
     developed countries as a group to reduce emissions in a range 
     of twenty-five to forty percent below 1990 levels by 2020; 
     and
       Whereas, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and 
     the signatory nations of the United Nations Framework 
     Convention on Climate Change have recognized the special 
     dangers of climate change to island states, territories, and 
     nations; and
       Whereas, global climate change is causing rapid melting of 
     ice at both the north and south polar regions, which, in 
     conjunction with thermal expansion due to warmer water 
     temperatures, is leading to a rapid rise in sea level; and
       Whereas, University of Hawaii experts have demonstrated 
     that a one meter rise in sea level would inundate much of 
     Hawaii's coastline, including the world renowned Waikiki 
     resort area, the Honolulu International Airport's reef 
     runway, the majority of Hawaii's wastewater treatment 
     facilities, many historic sites, and many populated areas, 
     including lands up to a mile away from the existing shoreline 
     in parts of Honolulu; and
       Whereas, global climate change also threatens Hawaii with 
     stronger hurricanes, prolonged drought, shifting weather 
     patterns, warmer temperatures, shifting micro-climates, 
     increased spread of invasive species, and saltwater intrusion 
     into its aquifers; and
       Whereas, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide 
     concentrations foster greater carbon dioxide uptake by the 
     world's oceans, leading to ocean acidification and the 
     resultant decreases in reef health and decreases in survival 
     of ocean life that rely on calcium carbonate shells; and
       Whereas, Hawaii is doing its part to reduce its 
     contribution to global climate change by adopting progressive 
     energy policies that promote the use of clean energy 
     technologies such as wind, solar, wave, and biomass energy; 
     and
       Whereas, Act 234, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, placed a 
     binding statewide cap on Hawaii's greenhouse gas emissions, 
     by requiring Hawaii to reduce its non-aviation greenhouse gas 
     emissions to their 1990 levels before 2020; Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2008, That in recognition of Hawaii's overwhelming 
     vulnerability to global climate change, the President of the 
     United States is urged to use the January 30 and 31, 2008, 
     Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate 
     Change, which is being hosted in Hawaii, to commit to an 
     economy-wide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 
     United States; and be it further
       Resolved, That the President of the United States is urged 
     to consent to binding and quantified commitments for the 
     United States under the United Nations Framework Convention 
     on Climate Change that would result in the rapid 
     stabilization and decrease in atmospheric greenhouse gas 
     concentrations; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, the 
     President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, members of Hawaii's 
     congressional delegation, and the Secretariat of the United 
     Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
                                  ____

       POM-384. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of Louisiana urging Congress to extend Louisiana's 
     seaward boundary in the Gulf of Mexico to three marine 
     leagues; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 38

       Whereas, Louisiana's seaward boundary in the Gulf of Mexico 
     has been judicially determined to be three geographical miles 
     and the United States has jurisdiction past the three 
     geographical miles; and
       Whereas, Congress has the power to amend the Submerged 
     Lands Act of 1953, to allow for the recognition that 
     Louisiana's seaward boundary extends three marine leagues 
     into the Gulf of Mexico; and
       Whereas, Louisiana acts as a significant energy corridor 
     vital to the entire United States and provides intersections 
     of oil and natural gas intrastate and interstate pipeline 
     networks which serve as references for future markets, such 
     as the Henry Hub for natural gas, the St. James Louisiana 
     Light Sweet Crude Oil, and the Mars Sour Crude Oil contracts; 
     and
       Whereas, Louisiana provides storage for the nation's 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve and is the home of the Louisiana 
     Offshore Oil Port, the nation's major import terminal for 
     foreign oil; and
       Whereas, Louisiana and its coastal wetlands provide access 
     to nearly thirty-four percent of the U.S. natural gas supply 
     and nearly twenty-nine percent of the U.S. oil supply, upon 
     which the United States' economic growth depends; and
       Whereas, Louisiana ranks first in crude oil production, and 
     ranks second in natural gas production, both including the 
     Outer Continental Shelf production; and
       Whereas, hurricanes Katrina and Rita have shown that the 
     loss of vital oil and gas infrastructure in Louisiana and the 
     Gulf of Mexico has an immediate and direct impact upon the 
     economy and well-being of the entire country and its 
     citizens; and
       Whereas, hurricanes Katrina and Rita turned approximately 
     one hundred square miles of southeast Louisiana coastal 
     wetlands into open water, and destroyed more wetlands east of 
     the Mississippi River in one month than experts estimated to 
     be lost in over forty-five years; and
       Whereas, the states of Texas and Florida have seaward 
     boundaries in the Gulf of Mexico to three marine leagues; and
       Whereas, Louisiana will receive an increase in Outer 
     Continental Shelf oil and gas revenues, but such revenues 
     will not be of a significant amount until 2017; and
       Whereas, the extension of Louisiana's seaward boundary into 
     the Gulf of Mexico for three marine leagues will provide an 
     immediate stream of revenue for use in the state's efforts to 
     clean up, rebuild, and restore southern Louisiana; therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to extend Louisiana's 
     seaward boundary in the Gulf of Mexico to three marine 
     leagues; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United 
     States Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-385. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to take such 
     actions as are necessary to prohibit the importation of 
     nuclear waste generated outside of the United States; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 99

       Whereas, EnergySolutions, based in Salt Lake City, is 
     seeking a license from the United States Nuclear Regulatory 
     Commission (NRC) to import up to approximately twenty 
     thousand tons, a total volume of up to approximately one 
     million cubic feet, of various types of materials from 
     decommissioned nuclear facilities in Italy; and
       Whereas, EnergySolutions would process and recycle most of 
     the contaminated material at its facilities in Tennessee, in 
     accordance with licenses issued by the state of Tennessee; 
     and
       Whereas, the remaining waste would be sent to 
     EnergySolutions' low-level radioactive waste disposal 
     facility in Clive, Utah,

[[Page 12576]]

     and any waste that does not qualify for disposal at the Utah 
     facility would be returned to Italy; and
       Whereas, EnergySolutions' license application specifies 
     that the waste is to be transported to the United States by 
     oceangoing vessel to the ports of Charleston or New Orleans, 
     and at the time of the application, the generators of the 
     waste were ``not fully known'' nor could the waste be 
     evaluated for classification pursuant to federal regulations; 
     and
       Whereas, although the NRC seeks the input of the states of 
     Tennessee and Utah as the states where the waste is processed 
     and disposed, the states of Louisiana and South Carolina were 
     not consulted despite the fact that the waste would spend 
     significant time in these states while the cargo is 
     transferred from an oceangoing vessel to either barge, truck, 
     or rail transportation; and
       Whereas, the state of Louisiana continues to rebuild in the 
     wakes of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita where substantial 
     federal, state, and private resources are being brought to 
     bear on the New Orleans metro area, and the fact or the 
     perception that New Orleans is a staging area for foreign 
     nuclear waste is counterproductive to that rebuilding effort; 
     and
       Whereas, Europe as a whole may see an increase in the need 
     to process and dispose of nuclear waste as many of the 
     countries in Europe rely on an aging inventory of nuclear 
     power plants that will be decommissioned in the coming years, 
     as in the EnergySolutions application, and new facilities are 
     being planned not only as replacements but also to reduce 
     reliance on fossil fuel; and
       Whereas, the current application from EnergySolutions may 
     only be the beginning of a trend as the decrease in value of 
     the United States dollar in relation to the Euro will make 
     disposal of Europe's nuclear waste in the United States 
     economically attractive and make New Orleans the gateway to 
     that cheap disposals; therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to prohibit the importation of nuclear waste 
     generated outside of the United States of America; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-386. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Utah relative to trade with Taiwan; to the Committee 
     on Finance.

                        Senate Resolution No. 4

       Whereas, it is our belief that it is the responsibility of 
     the United States to promote the values of freedom and 
     democracy, a commitment to open markets, and the free 
     exchange of goods and ideas both at home and abroad;
       Whereas, the Republic of China on Taiwan shares these 
     values and has struggled throughout the past 50 years to 
     create what is an open and thriving democracy;
       Whereas, despite being a member of the World Trade 
     Organization since 2002, Taiwan has no formal trade agreement 
     with the United States;
       Whereas, however, Taiwan has emerged as the United States 
     eighth largest trading partner, the 11th largest export 
     market, and the fifth largest farm products market;
       Whereas, the United States is Taiwan's largest trading 
     partner, and American businesses have benefitted greatly from 
     this dynamic trade relationship;
       Whereas, in terms of labor, environmental, and intellectual 
     property protection standards, Taiwan is a model for advanced 
     economies;
       Whereas, a free trade agreement with Taiwan will enable 
     United States firms to leverage Taiwan's role as a gateway to 
     Asia, with Taiwan serving as a secure platform and 
     springboard for innovation and market access;
       Whereas, a free trade agreement with Taiwan would provide 
     United States firms with a base of operations from which to 
     export goods and services into the greater China region and 
     Southeast Asia;
       Whereas, a free trade agreement with Taiwan would extend 
     the coverage of World Trade Organization agreements to 
     products, sectors, and conditions of trade not adequately 
     covered;
       Whereas, over the past two decades, Taiwan has emerged as 
     one of the United States most important allies in Asia and 
     throughout the world;
       Whereas, Taiwan has forged an open, market-based economy 
     and a thriving democracy based on free elections and the 
     freedom of dissent, and it is in the interest of the United 
     States to encourage the development of both of these 
     institutions;
       Whereas, the United States has an obligation to its allies 
     and to its own citizens to encourage economic growth, market 
     openings, and the destruction of trade barriers as a means of 
     raising living standards; and
       Whereas, a free trade agreement with Taiwan would be a 
     positive step toward accomplishing these important goals: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the State of Utah urges the 
     President of the United States and the United States Congress 
     to support a free trade agreement between the United States 
     and the Republic of China on Taiwan; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the President of the Republic of China on 
     Taiwan, and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-387. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Utah urging support of Medicaid long-term care 
     funding of home and community-based supports; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                      House Joint Resolution No. 5

       Whereas, Utah's population is aging and Utahans with 
     disabilities are living longer, healthier lives;
       Whereas, thousands of Utahans with disabilities and older 
     Utahans currently need or will need long-term care and 
     support to live productive lives in their communities;
       Whereas, facility-based care is a mandatory benefit and 
     community-based supports are an optional benefit of Medicaid;
       Whereas, long-term care accounts for over 25 percent of all 
     of Utah Medicaid spending;
       Whereas, nearly 60 percent of long-term care expenditures 
     in Utah Medicaid are for facility-based care;
       Whereas, facility-based care can be up to five times more 
     expensive than community-based support;
       Whereas, Utah Medicaid costs are growing at a rate of 
     approximately 10 percent per year;
       Whereas, the Utah Legislature's Medicaid Interim Committee 
     is seeking recommendations for containing costs and 
     increasing accountability; and
       Whereas, Medicaid long-term care reform must be a 
     cooperative effort among the Federal and State government, 
     the private sector, and the disability and elderly 
     communities: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of Utah urges 
     Utah's congressional delegation to support the continued 
     shift of Medicaid long-term care funding toward home and 
     community-based supports; be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature urges Utah's congressional 
     delegation to support providing States with the flexibility 
     and tools needed to manage Medicaid long-term care costs in a 
     fiscally responsible manner; be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature urges Utah's congressional 
     delegation to support providing Medicaid long-term care and 
     supports in the most appropriate and cost-effective manner 
     while maintaining individual choice; be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature urges Utah's congressional 
     delegation to ensure the active participation of people with 
     disabilities and older Americans in the ongoing design, 
     implementation, and review of Medicaid's long-term care 
     system; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     members of Utah's congressional delegation, the members of 
     the Utah Legislature's Medicaid Interim Committee, and the 
     Disability Law Center.
                                  ____

       POM-388. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Utah urging U.S. withdrawal from the Security and 
     Prosperity Partnership of North America; to the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations.

                         House Resolution No. 1

       Whereas, President George W. Bush established the Security 
     and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America with the 
     nations of Mexico and Canada on March 23, 2005;
       Whereas, the gradual creation of such a North American 
     Union from a merger of the United States, Mexico, and Canada 
     would be a direct threat to the United States Constitution 
     and the national independence of the United States and would 
     imply an eventual end to national borders within North 
     America;
       Whereas, on March 31, 2006, a White House news release 
     confirmed the continuing existence of the SPP and its 
     ``ongoing process of cooperation'';
       Whereas, Congressman Ron Paul has written that a key to the 
     SPP plan is an extensive new North American Free Trade 
     Agreement (NAFTA) superhighway: ``[U]nder this new 
     `partnership,' a massive highway is being planned to stretch 
     from Canada into Mexico, through the state of Texas.'';
       Whereas, this trilateral partnership to develop a North 
     American Union has never been presented to Congress as an 
     agreement or treaty, and has had virtually no congressional 
     oversight; and
       Whereas, state and local governments throughout the United 
     States would be negatively impacted by the SPP and North 
     American Union process, such as the ``open borders'' vision 
     of the SPP, eminent domain takings of private property along 
     the planned superhighways, and increased law enforcement 
     problems along those same superhighways: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the State of 
     Utah urges the United States Congress and Utah's 
     congressional delegation, to use all of their efforts, 
     energies, and diligence to withdraw the United

[[Page 12577]]

     States from any further participation in the Security and 
     Prosperity Partnership of North America. Be it further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges Congress 
     to withdraw the United States from any other bilateral or 
     multilateral activity, however named, which seeks to advance, 
     authorize, fund, or in any way promote the creation of any 
     structure to accomplish any form of North American Union as 
     described in this resolution. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
     the United States House of Representatives, to the members of 
     Utah's congressional delegation, and all members of Congress 
     by electronic means.
                                  ____

       POM-389. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Pennsylvania recognizing the month of May 2008 as 
     ``Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month'' to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                       Senate Resolution No. 326

       Whereas, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is better 
     known as Lou Gehrig's disease; and
       Whereas, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease 
     characterized by degeneration of cell bodies of the lower 
     motor neurons in the gray matter of the anterior horns of the 
     spinal cord; and
       Whereas, the initial symptom of ALS is weakness of the 
     skeletal muscles, especially those of the extremities; and
       Whereas, as ALS progresses, the patient experiences 
     difficulty in swallowing, talking and breathing; and
       Whereas, ALS eventually causes muscles to atrophy, and the 
     patient becomes a functional quadriplegic; and
       Whereas, because ALS does not affect mental capacity, 
     persons with ALS remain alert and aware of the loss of motor 
     function and the inevitable outcome of continued 
     deterioration and death; and
       Whereas, ALS occurs in adulthood, most commonly between the 
     ages of 40 and 70, with the peak age about 55; and
       Whereas, ALS affects men two to three times more often than 
     women; and
       Whereas, more than 5,000 new ALS patients are diagnosed 
     annually; and
       Whereas, on average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive 
     only two to five years from the time of diagnosis; and
       Whereas, research indicates that military veterans are at a 
     50% or greater risk of developing ALS than other persons; and
       Whereas, ALS has no known cause, means of prevention or 
     cure; and
       Whereas, ``Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month'' 
     increases public awareness of ALS patients' circumstances, 
     acknowledges the terrible impact of ALS on patients and their 
     families and recognizes ongoing research to eradicate ALS: 
     Now, therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania recognize the month of May 2008 as ``Amyotrophic 
     Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month'' in the Commonwealth 
     of Pennsylvania; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate urge the President and Congress 
     of the United States to enact legislation to provide 
     additional funding for ALS research; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, to the Vice President of 
     the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the members of Congress from Pennsylvania 
     and to the United States Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services.
                                  ____

       POM-390. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Arizona urging Congress to 
     enact legislation to provide adequate school facilities on 
     tribal lands; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

                     House Concurrent Memorial 2007

       Whereas, to achieve true self-determination, Native 
     American governments, including the Hopi Tribe, must have the 
     resources necessary to provide a quality education to their 
     children living on federally recognized tribal lands so that 
     those children have the same opportunity for learning as 
     nonreservation children; and
       Whereas, it is vital to Indian education that the concepts 
     of the No Child Left Behind Act be implemented in a manner 
     consistent with the social, civic, economic, educational and 
     cultural needs of American Indian tribes and communities; and
       Whereas, the Hopi Day School and the Hotevilla-Bacavi 
     Community School at Third Mesa, Arizona have been in 
     existence collectively for over one hundred and twenty-five 
     years; and
       Whereas, due to the age and poor physical condition of the 
     Hopi Day School and the Hotevilla-Bacavi Community School 
     facilities, neither school can provide an appropriate 
     educational environment for its students. The schools' 
     deficiencies include classrooms that do not meet minimum 
     space requirements and that lack a reliable means of 
     controlling the temperature and air quality, interior walls 
     painted with lead-based paint, numerous cracks in the masonry 
     walls making the structural integrity of the building 
     questionable and a lack of the standard amenities common to 
     most schools. Both school facilities have been described by 
     two different Bureau of Indian Affairs inspections as having 
     exceeded their usefulness and functional life: and
       Whereas, the Hopi children living at Third Mesa who attend 
     the Hopi Day School and the Hotevilla-Bacavi Community School 
     are at risk and suffer from a significant educational 
     disadvantage in comparison to their off-reservation peers, 
     and this situation will continue until the federal government 
     replaces the facilities at both schools; and
       Whereas, in the face of the deplorable physical conditions 
     of their school facilities, the Hopi children attending these 
     schools have nevertheless excelled at their AIMS test 
     (Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards) and their Adequate 
     Yearly Progress (AYP) assessments for the last five years, 
     despite the fact that only one-third of tribal schools 
     nationwide are attaining the AYP, thereby demonstrating their 
     desire to achieve educational excellence; and
       Whereas, at a time when schools across the entire country 
     are diligently engaged in educational reforms to ensure that 
     ``no child is left behind'', the Hopi children living in the 
     Third Mesa area are being left behind by the very entity 
     responsible for the reform movement, the federal government; 
     and
       Whereas, the Hopi Tribe is the only tribe in Arizona that 
     does not have a gaming compact and, therefore, has no other 
     financial resources with which to improve the conditions of 
     its schools; and
       Whereas, the Hopi Tribe believes that a single school 
     facility designed and built to serve the combined student 
     populations served by the Hopi Day School and the Hotevilla-
     Bacavi Community School would be economically advantageous 
     and would allow the addition of specialized staff and 
     programs not available in the current separate school 
     facilities, would reduce or eliminate duplication of staff, 
     services and bus routes required under the two-school 
     structure, would provide a proper learning environment for 
     delivery of the whole educational program for each child from 
     preschool through the eighth grade, would allow local control 
     and would provide a school facility that is designed and 
     constructed to last for many years and that can appropriately 
     accommodate the growth of the local population; and
       Whereas, the Bureau of Indian Education has recognized that 
     combining these two schools on the Hopi reservation would be 
     a more meaningful, appropriate and just solution to the 
     problems caused by the current dilapidated buildings; and
       Whereas, the governing boards for the two schools formally 
     agreed to the concept of having a single school facility for 
     the entire Third Mesa area providing educational programs 
     that include early childhood education through the eighth 
     grade; and
       Whereas, the reservation-wide Hopi Board of Education 
     adopted a resolution supporting the single school concept and 
     took formal action to reserve a landsite for the new school; 
     and
       Whereas, the Village of Kykotsmovi Governing Board endorsed 
     the single school concept and took formal action to reserve a 
     landsite for the new school; and
       Whereas, the Hopi Tribal Council adopted a resolution 
     approving both the single school concept and the landsite 
     assignment. Wherefore your memorialist, the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate 
     concurring,
       Prays:
       1. That the United States Congress recognize that failure 
     to maintain adequate school facilities on Indian lands is a 
     violation of the rights of tribal governments and communities 
     to exercise and assert equitable education in their 
     boundaries.
       2. That the United States Congress provide a sufficient 
     set-aside of Bureau of Indian Education monies to ensure that 
     one new school will replace the two extremely old schools on 
     the Third Mesa of the Hopi Reservation in order to promote 
     fair and quality education for the children of the Hopi 
     Indian Nation.
       3. That the United States Congress promote and support 
     adequate funding of schools on American Indian Reservations.
       4. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona 
     transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State 
     of Arizona
                                  ____

       POM-391. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Hawaii urging Congress to 
     ratify the UN convention on the elimination of all forms of 
     discrimination against women; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 16

       Whereas, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women (Convention) was adopted by the 
     United Nations General Assembly in 1979; and
       Whereas, the Convention is the most complete international 
     agreement that focuses specifically on basic human rights for 
     women; and
       Whereas, the Convention requires ratifying nations to 
     improve the status of women and

[[Page 12578]]

     to work towards eliminating discrimination and violence 
     against women by establishing equality in legal status, 
     political participation, education, employment, healthcare, 
     and the family structure; and
       Whereas, the Convention has resulted in reforms for women 
     around the world, including measures against sex slavery, 
     domestic violence, and trafficking of women; increasing 
     primary education previously denied to females; and improved 
     health care that have saved lives during pregnancy and 
     childbirth; and
       Whereas, in 1972, Hawaii was the first state to ratify the 
     federal Equal Rights Amendment, which would have amended the 
     United States Constitution by establishing a guarantee of 
     equal rights for women; and
       Whereas, although the United States played an important 
     role in drafting the Convention on the Elimination of All 
     Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the United States is 
     one of only eight countries that include Sudan, Somalia, 
     Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau, and Tonga, that have not ratified 
     the Convention as of March 1, 2007; and
       Whereas, the United States' failure to ratify the 
     Convention undermines the principle that human rights of 
     women are universal and worthy of being guaranteed through 
     international human rights standards; and
       Whereas, as women in the Unites States are succeeding in 
     greater leadership roles in business and government and 
     participate in local and national elections in record 
     numbers, it is appropriate that the United States Congress 
     demonstrate its unequivocal support for the rights of women 
     internationally by ratifying the United Nations Convention on 
     the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2008, the Senate concurring, That the Legislature urges the 
     United States Senate to demonstrate our national commitment 
     to human rights for all people by ratifying the United 
     Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women, and joining the one hundred 
     eighty-five ratifying nations in endorsing the most 
     comprehensive treaty ensuring fundamental human rights and 
     equality for all women; and be it futher
       Resolved, that certified copies of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and members of Hawaii's congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-392. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Utah reaffirming the words, ``Under God,'' in the 
     pledge of allegiance; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                      House Joint Resolution No. 3

       Whereas, the Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of 
     allegiance to the United States as represented by its 
     national flag;
       Whereas, the Pledge of Allegiance is commonly recited in 
     unison at public events and especially in public school 
     classrooms;
       Whereas, the Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by 
     Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister;
       Whereas, by presidential proclamation, and later at the 
     urging of the National Flag Conference, Reverend Bellamy's 
     original version of the Pledge was altered prior to being 
     officially recognized as the official national pledge in 
     1945;
       Whereas, on Flag Day, 1954, at President Dwight D. 
     Eisenhower's urging, the United States Congress passed a 
     resolution to add the words ``under God'' to the Pledge of 
     Allegiance;
       Whereas, President Eisenhower explained, ``These words 
     [``under God'] will remind Americans that despite our great 
     physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to 
     keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and 
     moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon 
     which our way of life is founded.''; and
       Whereas, it is fitting that the phrase ``under God'' in the 
     Pledge of Allegiance be reaffirmed as part of the official 
     Pledge of Allegiance of the United States; Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the state of Utah 
     reaffirms the words ``under God'' as part of the official 
     Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the 
     United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives, and to the members of Utah's 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-393. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Pennsylvania urging Congress to enact bill S. 70 of 2007 
     relative to Memorial Day; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                       Senate Resolution No. 321

       Whereas, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who 
     have died in this nation's service; and
       Whereas, the United States observes Memorial Day as a time 
     to honor and reflect on those sacrifices; and
       Whereas, Memorial Day was officially proclaimed by General 
     John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the 
     Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and it was first 
     observed on May 30, 1868; and
       Whereas, Congress established Memorial Day as the last 
     Monday in May when it approved the National Holiday Act of 
     1971 (P.L. 90-363) to ensure a three-day weekend for the 
     Federal holiday; and
       Whereas, traditional observance of Memorial Day has 
     diminished over the years as many Americans have forgotten 
     the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day and instead use 
     that day to celebrate the beginning of summer; and
       Whereas, to help re-educate and remind Americans of the 
     true meaning of Memorial Day, President George W. Bush signed 
     the National Moment of Remembrance Act in 2000 (P.L. 106-
     579), designating 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day as the 
     National Moment of Remembrance to encourage citizens to pause 
     and remember our fallen soldiers; and
       Whereas, to fully return the solemn spirit to Memorial Day, 
     this nation should also return to the traditional day of 
     observance of May 30 each year, regardless of the day of the 
     week on which it falls; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania memorialize the President and the Congress of 
     the United States to enact bill S. 70 of 2007, which would 
     designate the legal public holiday of Memorial Day as May 30, 
     call for the flying of the flag at half-staff until noon that 
     day and encourage Americans to observe Memorial Day as a day 
     of ceremonies for showing respect for American veterans of 
     wars and other military conflicts; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, the presiding officers of 
     each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from 
     Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-394. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Utah urging Congress to pass balanced 
     immigration reform; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                   Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 5

       Whereas, the economic relationship with Mexico, which 
     shares our border, is vital to the United States because 
     Mexico is the United States' second most important trading 
     partner, the United States is Mexico's most important trading 
     partner, and the U.S. is the largest source of direct foreign 
     investment in Mexico;
       Whereas, economic, historic, and cultural ties between the 
     U.S. and Mexico are critical to many U.S. industries, 
     including many in Utah;
       Whereas, as a result of their shared borders and proximity 
     to Mexico, western states, including Utah, suffer a 
     disproportionate financial burden on health care, education, 
     the environment, and criminal justice systems because of 
     unauthorized immigration from Mexico, affecting the economy 
     of the entire region;
       Whereas, the economic impacts may be offset by allowing 
     more legal and readily available foreign workers to enter the 
     U.S.;
       Whereas, seasonal industries, including agriculture and 
     hospitality, historically and currently play a pivotal role 
     in Utah's economy, and are heavily dependent upon a stable 
     and reliable foreign labor pool; and
       Whereas, current immigration law addresses neither 
     documented U.S. labor shortages nor marketplace dynamics, and 
     without a lawful avenue to provide seasonal employees, 
     encourages continued unlawful immigration to the U.S. which 
     continues to negatively impact the state's economy; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the state of Utah, the 
     Governor concurring therein, express support for the 
     development of a balanced national immigration policy with 
     the overarching purpose of protecting and preserving the 
     safety and interests of the United States and its citizens 
     while recognizing the needs of Utah industries to have a 
     stable and legal supply of workers quickly available where 
     there are no U.S. workers otherwise available; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge Utah's 
     congressional delegation to work with the United States 
     Congress to ensure that any reform efforts focus primarily on 
     enabling Utah's employers to hire a legal workforce 
     sufficient to meet the needs of Utah industries to enhance 
     the economic growth of the state's private sector; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge 
     Congress to reform the current systems for obtaining work 
     visas and reduce the delay for legal immigration; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor express 
     their opposition to granting blanket amnesty to undocumented 
     persons and urge that appropriate sanctions be a part of any 
     solution; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor recognize 
     that addressing the status of millions of undocumented 
     persons currently present in the U.S. is a complex issue; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge that 
     in passing immigration reform Congress not inadvertently 
     create unnecessary hurdles and lengthy delays for those who 
     wish to legally hire non-U.S. workers; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge that 
     in passing immigration

[[Page 12579]]

     reform Congress not inadvertently create incentives for 
     additional illegal immigration by creating unnecessary 
     hurdles and lengthy delays for those who wish to immigrate 
     legally for work or citizenship; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge 
     Congress to reform the Foreign Worker Visa system as part of 
     any immigration reform; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge 
     Congress to eliminate current visa backlogs and prevent 
     future backlogs to help meet Utah workforce demands; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor recommend 
     that these tasks can be accomplished by:
       (1) dramatically increasing the annual immigrant visa caps, 
     including the limits on H-1B and H-2B visas, particularly in 
     the industries requiring highly trained and educated workers 
     and seasonal hospitality operations;
       (2) streamlining the processing of H-2A visas to create a 
     more workable system to enable agricultural employers to hire 
     needed foreign workers for seasonal jobs;
       (3) maintaining the L-1 visa program; and
       (4) expediting work authorization for foreign nationals who 
     complete University-level degrees in U.S. institutions to 
     ensure that the benefits of the educational investment the 
     nation has made in these individuals remains in the U.S.; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature and the Governor urge 
     Congress to ensure the enforcement of current federal 
     employer sanctions for knowingly hiring undocumented labor, 
     which requires the federal government to adopt a secure, 
     reliable, and fast employment verification system accessible 
     to employers electronically 24 hours a day; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the 
     Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
     the United States House of Representatives, the United States 
     Department of Homeland Security, and to the members of Utah's 
     congressional delegation.

                          ____________________